The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-11-26
RATS, CATS AND SNAKES.
Silly Surerstitions Prevailing In All Parts
of COrea.

Ie Silly Superstition. Prevailing In All Psrt
of COrea.
The natives do not like rats, and CT
A deavor in various ways to get rid &
Them. as, for instance. by placing
written character on the ceiling. o
many characters at times, under tn
' popular supposition that rats, Xix
F., people. so respect the written charac
ter that they will not desccrate it b,
walking over it. Some rats. however,
are said to be like some people. ant
the charm does not always work salts.
factorily.
Snakes are allowed free liberty in
and upon q Corean house. They
usually live in burrows in the mud
under the tiles. These burrows arc
doubtless used by the rats during the
winter time and they are noticeably
absent during the summer, after the
proper occupants have thawcd out.
The snakes. doubtless. make it lively
for the rats, but their principal food is
the eggs and young Of the swallows
which live under the caves. One
can always tell when the snake
is visible by tho excited chattering
of the birds. Hundreds Of them
congrcgate about where he may be
summing himself on the hot ties, and
jabber away at him with all their
might. Others fly away and enlist the
services of the impudent magpies, who
come screaming in their schrill tones
and give MI. Snake a sharp dig in
some unprotected part. The snake
usually gets the worst of the encounter
and run to cover.
The people will not kill the snakes;
they have u superstition based on fear.
They trace it back to a story concern
ing Il man who killed n poisonous
snake and afierward was killed to.
gcther with his whole family, by the
mate of the dead reptile. The house
snakes are some three feet in length,
fat. lazy and practically harmless,
One can not help but note the alb.
scncc of cats in Corca. and as the rats
become more and more troublesome
an occasional feline serenadc becomes
an appreciated favor. Cats are ONE
times kept, but they are seldom seen,
while dogs are everywhere and wea.
sells are not u rarity. The latter art
always wild and contine their raid.
mostly to chickens.
The cat is considered an uncanny
animal and never occupies the place il
does in a European household. The
superstition concerning the cat is also
traced back to a story. and is as harm.
full to the descendants of the hero (oi
heroine) Of the story as it was beneficial
in the case of the snake.
1t is reported that once upon time
a farmer working in tho field felt q
sense of vacuity which frequent tight.
cning Of his belt would not relieve.
He went OH till he could wait no long.
or. and from wondering why his spouse
had not brought him his customary
meal he worked himself up into rage
at her negligence. He decided to &C
and investigate tho matter, and on the
way he took the prccaution of sele ct.
ing Il good club for any necessary use
such as clubs may be put to. Reach
ing his house. he espied his wife lying
on a mat with her baby in her arms,
apparently both asleep. "Ah hal" he
cried, this is the way you loitc,
around while I work in tine field till
my belly has vanished. I'll teach you
y thing or two" With which he STRUCK
her a sound blow, which only resulted
in jolting tho babe from the breast
and disclosing a drop Of blood where
milk should have been.
The enraged father was startled
He forgot his anger as he saw that his
little family lay dead before him. HI
went TO examining the apartment and
under a chest lie found a lot of blood
and the half of a snake, with a cat still
eating at the living head and uppe,
portion of the body. The snakes hcad
still jumbed about and the fang
darted out, keeping the cat busy te
keep out OF the way. But the jumping
head had struck tho sleeping mother
and the deadly fangs had pierced he,
flesh. sending the poisoned blood into
the nursing infant killing them both.
Since that time cats are not kept ir
the country, and are seldom seen in
the cities. When seen they appeal,
wild and run rs If afraid of their lives.
Cor. San Francisco Chronicle.
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